Low-leverage interventions are alluring because they work in the short term
“Quick fixes” to complex problems are deceptively alluring because they often work—but only in the short term (and often only in addressing symptoms). Getting to the structural explanation takes time, effort, and perseverance, which few are willing to invest.
Low-leverage interventions would be much less alluring if it were not for the fact that many actually work, in the short term.[1]
See also:
- Compensating feedback offsets interventions
- Dichotomous thinking simplistically resolves ambiguity
- Pareto Principle
- Complex situations have multiple levels of explanation
The Fifth Discipline – Senge (2010), ch. 4, § “The Laws of the Fifth Discipline.” ↩︎